(1) Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to a process for clinching a buckle base and wire rope together, and more particularly to a process of clinching a buckle base and wire rope together by means of an anchor block in two steps.
(2) Description of the Prior Art:
For the fabrication of a buckle assembly such as that used in a vehicle seat belt, an anchor block, wire rope, buckle base and the like have heretofore been put together by clinching them. Such a conventional buckle assembly was however accompanied by a drawback that a clinching stress was applied only in one direction and the anchor block was overstressed because the anchor block has heretofore been shaped by cutting work or the like and a pressing force was applied to the anchor block only when clinching the anchor block on the buckle base.
FIG. 10 illustrates one way of clinching such an anchor block as formed by cutting work on a buckle base. As shown in FIG. 10(a), a raised portion 121 is formed by cutting a starting anchor block material. The raised portion 121 is clinched vertically in directions indicated by B as depicted in FIG. 10(b) and is thus formed into hexagonal configurations as illustrated in FIG. 10(c). Since this prior art process applies a clinching force in one direction only, the stress is not dispersed and the anchor block may be overstressed.
It may also be contemplated to secure an anchor block on a buckle base by means of certain fastening members without subjecting the anchor block to an overstress. U.K. Patent Specification No. 1,408,499 naming Frederick John Setters as a sole inventor and published on Oct. 1, 1973 discloses an anchor block (i.e., ferrule) having grooves in both side walls thereof and a buckle base including a pair of side walls which bear keys or ribs. The anchor block is secured on the buckle base by inserting the keys or ribs into their corresponding grooves. This method is certainly effective in protecting an anchor block from being overstressed but requires some machining work to form the grooves and keys or ribs.